The Week That Was: Pistons, college hoops and more…

Published 7:00 pm, Wednesday, January 31, 2007

These are just a few of my thoughts on what has happened at the, state and national levels in sports during the past week.

Beast of the East?

…With all the focus on the NBAs Western Conference, its easy to forget the NBA champion actually came from the East in the Miami Heat last year.

This season, the Heat are struggling, but the Pistons and the surprising Wizards have picked up the slack.

Tuesday, the teams met for the final time this season, with Agent Zero, Gilbert Arenas, once again delivering with 36 points and 11 assists in Washingtons 104-99 win.

Following the pivotal victory, which gave them the outright lead in the East, the Wizards and their coach Eddie Jordan were busy running their gums.

We kicked their butts, said Jordan.

During the first half of the season, the Pistons have looked disinterested at times.

However, I think Jordans comments will be just what they needed to perk up. Example, look at the 113-89 beating handed to the Nets last night.

Detroits a veteran club, which made a run at 70 wins last season, so maybe the players are saving that type of effort for the playoffs.

And if the Pistons and Wizards do meet in the post-season… look out.

I think the Pistons know the window is shrinking for another title run, so look for this loss to serve as all the motivation to win the East one more time.

NIT bound?

…That has to be the question for Michigan State and Michigan right now.

For the Wolverines, this was a season full of promise  one that would finally see the team make its first NCAA tournament appearance since 1997-98.

However, Michigan is once again without a quality win and still must face Michigan State and Ohio State twice.

The remaining schedule also includes Indiana and suddenly improving Illinois. Anything less than a tournament berth will most likely cost Tommy Amaker his job.

As for the Spartans, they were unable to build on their 66-64 loss at Ohio State on Saturday.

Instead, they laid an egg on the road at Illinois.

Now, they must somehow prevent their third consecutive loss when they host OSU this Saturday.

In the loss to the Illini, MSU managed just 17 first-half points.

Its an effort coach Tom Izzo was disgusted with.

As proud as I was … Saturday, Im probably more disappointed in them tonight, said Izzo during the post-game press conference.

Like Michigan, MSUs schedule is no walk in the park.

Following Ohio State this week, the Spartans still have a pair of games with the Wolverines and two with what many believe is the best team in the country in Wisconsin.

All is not lost for the Spartans, though, because the last time I checked, Tom Izzo was still on the bench  and that alone should be enough to get them in the dance one more time.

The Big One…

…Usually, I find myself disinterested in the Super Bowl (I still think two weeks between the championship games and the Super Bowl is too much).

With that aside, I havent had a rooting interested in years.

Take last year, I didnt particularly care for the Seahawks, but I hated the Steelers.

This year, Im not in love with the Colts, but Peyton Manning is my new fantasy quarterback (I made an off-season trade), so I now have a rooting interest.

One, because I want him to make it out of the game in one piece.

More importantly, I want him to shed the label of not being able to win the big one.

All I know, is Manning led his team back from a 21-3 deficit against the Patriots in the AFC Championship game with all the poise you would expect from a player of his caliber.

But the old saying goes that a good defense will almost always beat a good offense  and thats just what we have in this years game.

The Bears feature a defense that would make the 1985 Super Bowl champion squad proud.

Ive been watching a lot of the early Super Bowl coverage and almost every person is already crowning Manning and the Colts.

How soon we forget about the unbeatable Buckeyes and the no-hope Gators.

We all know how that one turned out.

You have to give credit to the Bears.

This team reminds me a lot of 2001 Ravens  a great defense and just enough offense to put up a couple of scores.

Throughout the playoffs, Manning has shown a tendency for turnovers. If that happens on Sunday, theres no doubt in my mind Chicago will win.

On the other side of the field is Rex Grossman.

Much has been made of Grossmans struggles  and although hes no Manning statistically, he finds a way to mange the game.

When youre a team with the type of defense as the Bears, thats all you need from your QB.

Its when Grossman is asked to be the man, when Chicago has problems.

In the end, I believe the pressure of playing in the Super Bowl will be too much for Grossman to handle.

As for Manning, hes been waiting for this moment his entire career. This is his opportunity to go from being the Dan Marino of our generation to one of the all-time greats of the game.

This could be Mannings only chance, so I look for him to seize the moment.

PICK: Colts 24, Cubs 14

Barbaros struggle ends…

…Its strange how the passing of a horse can touch the sports world.

When news that Barbaro, the Kentucky Derby was euthanized after complications from his breakdown at last years Preakness, I have to admit I was a little sad. I was more sad for all the people, who put countless hours into his recovery.

For the past eight months, doctors literally worked around the clock trying to make sure Barbaro would live a normal life.

However, with an injury as severe as the one Barbaro suffered, everyone knew it was a long shot to save him.

Monday, the complications became too much, leaving the doctors with no choice but to put him down.

It must have been a very difficult choice to give up on him.

Jar of the Week…

…I was beginning to think this column was making a difference as candidates for this weekly award have been sparse in recent weeks.

All it took was one out of control volleyball parent from Michigan to rejuvenate the Jar of the Week, though.

Its one thing to get worked up over games at the varsity level, but Joseph Kusmiercz of Webberville lost it on Saturday during a junior varsity tournament in Hartland Township.

Upset with a referees call, Kusmiercz, charged the court.

When the ordeal was over, he assaulted four people, including one ref, a coach and two spectators.

He is being charged with four counts of assault and battery and simple assault, which are misdemeanors.

Aside from the people assaulted, the real victim here is the poor girl.

Imagine facing the embarrassment of your parents acting like complete fools in front of everyone.

And for what?

A junior varsity volleyball game?

Kusmiercz told the AP his daughter was upset with me and embarrassed by his actions. She said, I want you to get help before you do something like this again.

The Kusmierczs wife got into the action, shouting at a Livingston County Sheriffs deputy as her husband was being arrested, according to Sheriff Bob Bezotte.

Both of them leave a lot to be desired in how parents should act at a sporting event, said Bezotte in an Lansing State Journal interview. I wouldn't want to be a referee nowadays. You try to do what you think is right and make a call, and you get it (a hard time) from the coaches and the players, and the parents want to kick your butt.

I implore everyone reading this, please dont let this be you  and please dont make me be the one to have to write the story about it, its not worth it. Parent violence is at the top of my list of things I cant stand about how high school sports have changed.

There are attempts to get laws on the books, making such incidents felonies. I say, they cant become law quick enough.

Paul P. Adams is a sports writer for the Huron Daily Tribune and can be reached at (989) 269-6464 ext. 112 or padams@hearstnp.com. The Week That Was appears every Tuesday and Thursday.